Mixing and dispensing gun with improved removal nozzle

ABSTRACT

According to the present invention, a gun is provided which has a valve assembly receiver and a product discharge valve assembly which are adapted to cooperate with each other and which may be readily and accurately secured together in a fast, fool proof manner. The product discharge valve assembly may be readily removed by hand without the use of tools, and misalignment between the inlet passages on the valve assembly and the outlet passages in the gun body are eliminated. The outlet and inlet ports respectively are aligned securely and positively by the combination of a V-grooved self-centering arrangement on the receiver and a counterpart arrangement on the discharge valve assembly. In a preferred embodiment further cooperating alignment is provided by a locking stud unit. The discharge valve assembly includes a reciprocable valve having a stem portion which may include a quick release lock arrangement for cooperation with an operating rod of the discharge gun, whereby the valve may be readily removed and replaced for maintenance in use.

This application is a continuation of copending application(s) Ser. No.732,614, filed May 10, 1985 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,596.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to guns for mixing anddischarging chemically reactive components adapted, upon mixing, to forma urethane or like insulating or projecting thermosetting plasticchemical foam, and more particularly, to a product mixing and dispensinggun having improved features providing ease of manufacturing, assembly,and maintanance, preferably through the use of low cost standard metalshapes.

In recent years, there has been continuing increase in the consumptionof foam products made by reactive chemical components. In particular,polyurethane foam materials are being used in ever increasing quantitiesin the areas of thermal insulation, flotation, coatings, and mostrecently, in the area of mass, and semi-mass production of specialtypackages. A common application of resilient, low density, but relativelyhigh load bearing urethane foams has been in the specialty cushionpackaging industry.

According to common practice, a corrugated, paperboard, or woodenshipping container is used to receive a relatively delicate product tobe shipped by mail, freight, or other delivery service. Where theproduct is relatively delicate and expensive, and yet of considerablevolume, perhaps a fraction of a cubic foot to several cubic feet or morein size, but is not mass produced to the extend that custom formedpackaging is practical, it has been found desirable to package suchproducts by a method which includes discharging pre-mixed but reactingurethane foam components into the container, placing a cover sheet overthe reactants as they are polymerizing and the urethane is undergoingfree rise expansion to its eventual height, placing the product to bepackaged over the cover sheet as the foam continues to rise or has justfinished rising, covering the product thus inserted into the packagewith another cover sheet and completing the package by surrounding thecovered product with additional urethane foam, and permitting theremainder of the foam to expand to most or all of its final heightbefore sealing the package.

In this manner, the expanding and reacting urethane foam assumes tocontours of the product being packaged, and the product is completelyand substantially evenly surrounded by a protective, shock absorbingcushion which also assumes the shape of the exterior container. Thisdoes away with the need for interfitting a product within intermediatepackaging and then fitting such packaging to the shipping container.This method has proved very valuable for shipping medical and scientificinstruments, electronic devices or various kinds, valuable artwork,china or other delicate objects, and a host of other products whichwould otherwise be readily susceptible to shipping and storage damage.

The advantages of these packaging systems are so great compared to manyother packaging systems that there is a continuing increasing demand forthe use of such systems.

According to present practices, the urethane components, a so-calledresin or polyol component and a isocyanate component, are stored underhigh or ambient pressures in containers to which the discharge gun isattached by hoses. The materials are delivered to the mixing gun underhigh pressure from positive displacement pumps or other pumping meansthrough the respective product hoses. Valves in the gun permit theproducts to flow through the hoses and into a mixing chamber, from whichthe products are mixed and dispended under the control of a triggeroperated discharge valve.

Since the components are mixed by direct or indirect impingement witheach other under conditions of very high pressure to insure thoroughmixing, the design of the discharge valves and nozzles has become amatter of concern in the art. Common designs include those featuringsingle or complex seals, means for lubricating and/or rinsing valveelements which are periodically exposed to the reactive components andthe like. A chronic problem in the area of guns used for this purpose isthat of periodically removing the nozzle either for cleaning or forreplacement.

In the prior art, if the nozzle, which receives the products under highpressure is not properly located and seated, leakage or damage to thenozzle may result. In the past, fitting of the valve assembly to the gunhas been a time consuming difficult and unreliable process.

According to the present invention, a gun is provided which has a valveassembly receiver and a product discharge valve assembly which areadapted to cooperate with each other and which may be readily andaccurately secured together in a fast, foolproof manner. The productdischarge valve assembly may be readily removed by hand without the useof tools, and misalignment between the inlet passages on the valveassembly and the outlet passages in the gun body is eliminated.

According to the present invention, the outlet and inlet portsrespectively are aligned securely and positively by the combination of aV-groove self-centering arrangement on the receiver, a counterpartarrangement on the discharge valve assembly, and a cooperating alignmentand locking stud unit. The discharge valve assembly includes areciprocable valve having a stem portion which may include aquick-release lock arrangement for cooperation with the operating rod ofthe discharge gun, whereby the valve may be readily removed and replacedfor maintenance or otherwise.

In view of the failure of the prior art to provide a foam discharge gunwhich provides ready and reliable removal and replacement of thedischarge valve assembly, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a gun having a valve assembly receiver and valve assemblyadapted for easy and reliable installation and removal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gun which has theadvantages of prior art guns, but which has further advantages in use,including the ability to locate and lock a product discharge valveassembly within a counterpart receiver without the aid of tools in amatter of few seconds or less.

Another object of the invention is to provide a so-called "pour gun"adapted to mix and dispense chemical products, which is easilyserviceable for purpose of clearing the gun of chemical components,including reactive components, and of replacing components which becomeworn, clogged or damaged during use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gun having a readilyremovable and replaceable discharge valve assembly which is compatiblewith the remaining elements of the gun, including an air operated freepiston type actuator assembly.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pour gun formixing and discharging reactive chemicals, which gun has various matingsurfaces which are easy to machine and finish, and which may bemanufactured without the use of expensive tooling, and making use ofcommon readily available inexpensive prefabricated shapes such as barstock.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a discharge valveassembly for a chemical product mixing and dispensing gun wherein thedischarge valve assembly within the receiver of the gun is virtuallyincapable of misalignment, and which will seat equally well within awide range of component tolerances.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve assembly whichincludes a reliable seal and packing assembly to insure against leakageor clogging of the mixing and discharging valve assembly in the use ofthe gun.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention areachieved in practice by providing a gun which includes a handle andtrigger, a pneumatically actuated free piston valve operating system,and a receiver adapted to receive a discharge valve assembly, with thereceiver and the discharge valve assembly each including cooperative,flat side wall portions forming parallel sided V-shaped locating andlocking surfaces, with a positioning and locking member adapted tocooperate further therewith for applying a locking force in thedirection of the V-groove apex, and preferably with the discharge valveassembly including a fluorocarbon seat and a reciprocable flow controlvalve therein.

The exact manner in which the foregoing objects and advantages of theinvention are achieved in practice will become more clearly apparentwhen reference is made to the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiments of the invention set forth by way of example, andshown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numbersindicate corresponding parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the chemical mixing anddispensing gun of the present invention, showing the principalcomponents thereof;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken alonglines 2--2 of FIG. 1 and showing the constructional details of thedischarge valve assembly, with the valve in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view similar to that of FIG. 2, and showingthe valve thereof in the open or discharge position; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the receiver portion of themixing and discharge gun body and showing the discharge valve assemblylocked in position of use therein.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred method of making thereceiver for the discharge valve and component inlet valve assemblies ofthe invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

While it will be understood that the advantages of the invention may bederived with modified constructions, and that other products may beadvantageously used with the apparatus of the present invention, adescription of the preferred form of apparatus will be given wherein thechemicals to be mixed and discharged are two components of a urethane orisocyanate composition. The cross-section of the discharge valveassembly and its associated saddle or groove in the receiver, are shownas being square and of 90° V groove configuration, respectively havingthe advantages described herein, it being understood that othercounterpart shapes may be used if desired.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a productmixing and dispensing gun assembly generally designated 10, and shown toinclude a number of principal components, including a main frame unit12, and a removable product discharge valve assembly 14.

The gun frame unit 12, in turn, includes various principal componentsincluding a pistol type hand grip 16 and a trigger 18, with the mainframe unit 12 being provided with an air chamber housing generallydesignated 20, at one end thereof, and a valve carrier assemblygenerally designated 22, at the other end thereof.

The air chamber housing 20 includes an interior cylindrical side wallportion 24, receiving a free piston assembly 26, which in turn, includesa forward head 28 and a rear head 30, disposed on opposite ends of acenter section 32,. The air chamber housing 20 is subdivided by thepiston assembly 26 into forward and center chambers 21, 23, and a rearchamber (not shown) being located axially rearwardly of the read head30. An O-ring type piston seal 34 is shown as providing an air-tight fitfor the forward piston head 28 within the wall 24, and the rear head 30may be similarly equipped, if desired. The double headed pistonarrangement 26 provides the guiding necessary to avoid piston cockingwithin the cylindrical sidewall or bore 24. A vent passage 36 is shownto be provided in the rear head 30 to permit the piston to reciprocatewhen pressure is alternately applied to the front and intermediatechambers 21, 23, as will appear.

The crown 38 of the forward piston head 38 includes an offset bore 40therein, in which is received the shank portion 42 of a valve operatingrod 44, which passes through the forward chamber 21 and through thepressure seal 46, and terminates in a coupler slot 48. The slot 48receives a locking groove 50 on the stem portion 52 of the dischargevalve 54. The gun main frame 12, is also shown to be provided with otherelements, namely, a pair of product inlet valve assemblies eachgenerally designated 56 and shown to include operating knobs 58. Hoseconnector fittings 60 extend outwardly from the valve assemblies 56 (oneonly shown in FIG. 1) and these fittings are adapted to receive the endportions of hoses (not shown), to which the product componentsrespectively pass on their way towards the valve assembly.

FIG. 1 also shows that the gun frame 12 includes an air inlet fitting62, and a pair of knobs 64, removable closing off flush ports (not shownin FIG. 1). The valve carrier portion 22 includes a carrier body 70,having substantially identical product outlet ports 72, and a central,vertically extending stud receiving bore 74 therethrough. As is shown inFIG. 1, the valve carrier body 70 includes substantially flat, taperedside wall portions 76, 78 arranged in V-groove form, with a line 79running longitudinally of the gun frame axis and forming the apex of adownwardly directed V formed by the sidewalls 76, 78.

Referring now to the product discharge valve assembly 14, this unit isshown to include, as appears in FIGS. 2 and 3, a discharge valve housinggenerally designated 80, having a valve seat bore 82 extending generallylongitudinally thereof and terminating in a tapered or beveled shoulder84. A bore 86 is formed in the front face surface 88 of the housing 80.In addition, identical inlet passages 90 extend through the side wallportions 92 of the housing 80, and each is tapped or threaded so as toreceive a jet 93 or the like having a discharge orifice 94 for theliquid product passing therethrough.

Received within the bore 82 in the housing 80, is a valve seat body 96preferably made from a fluorocarbon material and shown to include agenerally cylindrical outer surface 98, which is press fit within thehousing bore 82. The valve seat body 96 terminates at its forward edgein a tapered nose 100, and the seat 96 is also bored so as to provideproduct inlet passages 102 therein. The seat body 96 also includes acentral flow control valve bore 104, which slideably but snugly receivesthe outer surface 106 of the valve stem 52. The stem reciprocates withinthe bore 104 in fluid-tight relation, and when the valve stem 52 isforcibly withdrawn, as shown in FIG. 3, the openings 102 in the seatbody 96 are uncovered, and product passes rapidly therethrough and intothe mixing chamber 108 under high pressure. Thorough mixing takes placein the chamber. Because of the high pressure under which the chemicalsare stored, mixing is immediate and discharge from the outlet passage110 in the valve seat bore 82 is also substantially immediate.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the side walls 92 of the valve housing 80,have exterior surfaces 112, 114, which are shaped and finishedidentically to their counterpart surfaces 76, 78 in the valve carrier22. As also shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, positioning and alignment means inthe form of a positioner stud 116 is affixed to and extend downwardlyfrom the lower portion of the valve housing 80. The lower or shankportion 118 of the stud 116 is threaded so as to receive a locking wingnut 120 thereover. The face portion 122 of the wing nut 120 engages theflat lower surface 124 on the carrier assembly 22 to insure that thevalve may be tightened appropriately for tight seating.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the gun of the invention derives a number ofits advantages from a simple, modular construction. As shown in FIG. 4,each product inlet valve assembly 56 is identical to its counterpart,and is contained in a housing generally designated 200. The housingincludes sidewalls 202 defining a product passage 204 through which theproduct pass from the opening 206 in the inlet fitting 60 (FIG. 1).Fluid passes through a screen mesh filter 208 held in place by anaxially acting coil spring 210 which is received over a tapered surface212 on a combination fastener and jet 214. The housing 200 includes aclean out opening closed off by the knob 64 which includes a coup 216for receiving the spring and filter assembly for locating it. An O-ringseal 218 seals the clean out knob 64 against leakage relative to thehousing 200. The combination fastener and jet includes a threaded shank220 on its one end, a central product passage 222, and an enlargeddiameter shoulder 224. The end of the fastener 214 may include a sockethead or like opening 226 to facilitate assembly and disassembly. In use,the product flows through the fitting 60, into the chamber 204, throughthe filter screen 208 held in place by the screw 210 and dischargesthrough the passage 222 in the jet 214. The housing 202 is secured atits inner end by an O-ring 230 held in a portion of the valve carrierassembly body 70.

Referring now to another aspect of the invention, it is known that,because of the high presssure under which components are fed to thedischarge valve assembly, whether by reason of being fed to positivedisplacement pumps or from pressurized containers, the tendency of theproduct to leak along the interface between the fluorocarbon valve bodyand the exterior diameter of the valve stem is substantial. In order tocounteract this tendency, it may be desirable to provide a hydrostaticseal on the side of the assembly opposite the discharge opening, and inthis case, to the rear of the gun as shown in FIG. 1.

For this purpose, and referring to FIG. 2 and 3, a seal assemblygenerally designated 130 is provided which combines two features using aminimum of parts. The functional features provided are the sealing ofthe hydraulic oil or like fluid in a chamber to the rear or operatingrod side of the valve, and the simultaneous provision of means forinsuring against cold flow of the fluorocarbon or other resinous valvebody. Where a fluorocarbon material is used as a valve body, which isdesirable because fluorocarbons have a surface which is non-adherent tothe reaction product of the components, such material is known toundergo visible and undesirable cold flow if unconfined.

As a consequence, the seal of the invention provides a dynamic sealbetween the valve stem and the adjacent portions of the valve housing,while at the same time providing a mechanically adjustable end face sealwhich serves to bear upon the rear end face o the valve body.Accordingly, and referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, when the compressionfitting 132 is inserted and locked in the threaded recess 134 in thevalve housing 80, the fitting nose portion 138 of the cylindrical barrelportion 136 of the fitting 132 engages a washer 140 or likeforce-applying element, urging it strongly against the rear end facesurface 142 of the valve seat 82. AT the same time, the coil or likespring 144 in the smaller diameter recess 146 urges a washer or backupplate 148 against the O-ring 150 which seals both on the OD 152 of thevalve stem and the ID 146 of the fitting 132. With this construction, ahydrostatic seal is provided and the pressure attainable in the sealchamber is limited only by the force available from the spring 144. Thisprevents creep or backward flow of the components of their reactionproduct along the ID surface 104 of the valve seat body 96.

In other embodiments, the valve stem 52 may be lubricated or cleanedperiodically by the provision of a wick, spray nozzle or the like (notshown). In any case, these components are made from readily availablematerials and form a portion of the product discharge valve assemblywhich may be made at low cost and used with the gun of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 5, another important aspect of the invention isshown. This resides principally in the ease with which the gun membermay be manufactured from readily available stock using existingmaterials and equipment. While the invention is most advantageouslypracticed when manufactured by the aid of so-called CNC machining(computer numerical control) machining, the advantages of the inventionare also achieved with lower volume production methods. In any case, thevalve carrier assembly itself is made from solid aluminum bar stockwhich is basically rectangular in cross-section and of the desiredlength. This bar stock may then be milled with two simple side cuts anda single V-groove cut at the top to prepare it for mounting the valvehousing 90 and the product valve and filter block assemblies.

Thus, referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an element of bar stock 300,formed in a rectangular shape. In this shape, simple planar cuts aremilled, removing the material shown in phantom lines 302, 304, 306.These cuts result in making the body 70 of the valve carrier 22 in thecross-sectional form shown in FIG. 4. Thereupon, three additionalelements, namely, the element 308 from which the valve housing 80 ismade, and two additional elements 310, 312, from which the product inletvalve and filter assemblies are made are provided. These shapes arepreextruded to the desired square cross-section, and if necessary, maybe finished, polished or surface ground on their abutting surfaces 112,114 and so that a proper fit against the milled carrier surfaces 314,316 may be achieved. The various openings in the body of the carrier andin the valve housing 80, as well as in the valve and filter blockassemblies 200 are then drilled and tapped, using CNC or automatic screwmachine techniques. Fittings, where necessary, are conveniently made onautomatic screw machines or taken from standard parts inventory.

Accordingly, it is not necessary, in forming the product discharge valveassembly 14, or in the component valve and filter bodies 200, to providespecial tooling, centerless grinding, or other expensive operations.These advantages are particularly important where the guns are desiredto be produced at low cost or used in an environment wherein frequentcomponent replacement may be required.

According to the invention, the elements of the gun contacted by thefluid components are readily replaceable at low cost and do not requiremechanical skill for their removal and replacement.

The gun 10 of the invention operates in a customary manner. Because ofthe high friction between the exterior surface of the valve stem 52within the fluorocarbon resin valve seat 104, considerable force isneeded to open and close the main product discharge valve 14.Consequently, in the operation of the gun, after the fitting 62 has beenaffixed to a pneumatic hose providing a shop air pressure of 60-120 PSI,for example, and after the fittings 60 have been connected to componentsupply hoses served by pumps or pressurized containers, the gun is readyto operate.

Thereupon, the knobs 58 are manipulated into the "on" position so thatthe valve 56 in the housings 200 are open. Individual components thenflow through the various passages to the discharge orifices 94 and thejets 92. When it is desired to discharge a shot of foam, the trigger 18is depressed. This opens a passage (not shown) which introduces highpressure air into the forward chamber 21, pushing the piston assembly 26to the rear and pulling the rod 52 to the position where the inletpassages 94 are uncovered (FIG. 3). Product flows through the orificesare previously described and is mixed in the chamber 108, immediatelyprior to discharge. When the trigger is released, the forward chamber 21is vented, the intermediate and rear chambers 23 are pressurized, andthe piston 28 moves forward, pushing the valve stem 52 to the positionof FIG. 2. This completely stops product flow.

Consequently, the gun operates in a bitable mode, with the trigger pullpositively pushing the piston to the rear and actuating the main productdischarge valve, with the valve being held open by the piston againstline air pressure. When the trigger is released, the piston ispositively closed.

When it is desired to service the unit, the knobs 64 are pulled and thefilters 208 removed. The nozzle assembly 14 may also be cleaned in aknown manner and the gun passage cleaned in the same way. This iscarried out in a simple and straightforward manner. If any additionalcomponents are required to be removed, this may done with simple tools.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a mixing anddispensing gun with improved removal nozzle having a number ofadvantages and characteristics, including those pointed out herein andothers, which are inherent in the invention.

A preferred embodiment having been described by way of example, it isanticipated that various changes and modifications to the described formof apparatus may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A hand held gun for discharging a mixture of two chemicallyreactive components, said gun being adapted to direct said components toan impingement mixing passage in which said components are mixedimmediately prior to discharge, and wherein said components aresubstantially simultaneously admitted to said mixing passage under thecontrol of a single valve stem, said gun comprising, in combination, agun body including a handle, a trigger, an air cylinder and areciprocable piston disposed therein, means defining an air circuit foroperating said piston, means for connecting said piston to a productdischarge valve, said gun further including a removable valve body and avalve carrier member, said valve body including a pair of productcomponent inlet ports, a cylindrical sidewall defining an impingementmixing passage through said valve body, and a reciprocable valve stemreceived in and movable through said passage, seal means for preventingflow or product between said cylindrical sidewall and said valve stem,means on said valve stem for cooperation with said piston connectionmeans to facilitate removable connection therewith, said carrier memberand said valve body each having planar, mutually cooperating side wallsurfaces arranged in a V-shaped cross section, and means for positivelyaligning said carrier member and valve body in a desired directionalrelation and manually operable clamping means for urging said valve bodyand said carrier member into snug sealing engagement with each othersuch that the apex of the V-shaped section on the valve body is disposedadjacent the apex of the V-shaped section of the carrier member.
 2. Agun as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve body portion comprises ablock of fluorocarbon material and wherein said gun includes means forexerting a compressive pressure on said valve body to prevent cold flowdeformation thereof.
 3. A hand held gun for discharging a mixture of twochemically reactive components, said gun being adapted to direct saidcomponents to an impingement mixing passage in which said components aremixed immediately prior to discharge, and wherein said components aresubstantially simultaneously admitted to said mixing passage under thecontrol of a single valve stem, said gun comprising, in combination, agun body including a handle, a trigger, an air cylinder and areciprocable piston disposed therein, means defining an air circuit foroperating said piston, means for connecting said piston to a productdischarge valve, said gun further including a removable valve body and avalve carrier member, said valve body including a pair of productcomponent inlet ports, a cylindrical sidewall defining an impingementmixing passage through said valve body, and a reciprocable valve stemslidably received in and movable through said passage in fluid tightrelation therewith, means on said valve stem for cooperation with saidpiston connection means to facilitate removable connection therewith,said carrier member and said valve body each having planar, mutuallycooperating side wall surfaces arranged in a V-shaped cross section, andmeans for positively aligning said carrier member and valve body in adesired directional relation and manually operable clamping means forurging said valve body and said carrier member into snug sealingengagement with each other such that the apex of the V-shaped section onthe valve body is disposed adjacent the apex of the V-shaped section ofthe carrier member.
 4. A gun as defined in claim 3, wherein said valvebody portion comprises a block of fluorocarbon material and wherein saidgun includes means for exerting a compressive pressure on said valvebody portion to prevent cold flow deformation thereof.